What I love about the Heart and Soul Method classes is that they have a specific focus on one area of the body while also exercising the body as a whole. The specific focus on one area allows the students to see and feel where they are at in that specific energy center. Somedays are tighter than others. We then, focus the breath to loosen the tightened area, bringing our consciousness to it. The muscles in each area are toned with the therapeutic element of the breath which floods the chakra with fresh prana or life-force. Here are insights into my design of the chakra classes in a Hatha Vinyasa flowing form of which were brought together in 2013. The chakras are thousands of years old. They have much to teach us in healing as well as enjoying what is present (to learn more about this method as a whole, please see my previous blog: What Is The Heart and Soul Method?).
Muladhara Chakra (Root energy center): Standing and Balancing: Standing and Balancing postures build stability and strength while also learning about proper foot alignment in relationship to the knees and hips. As we age, how we exercise or move our body in the world, starts to show up in our posture amoung other areas. How we connect our hands and feet to the ground, or where they are placed in each posture, develops good or bad habits over time. Activating the muscles in these postures, with practice, will develop gorgeous yogi/dancer legs. Grounding postures which bring us closer to the earth with a neutral spine , allow us to find a sense of intrinsic equilibrium or active relaxation. We strive for this feeling in each posture to develop equanimity. This will bring about a healthy, balanced body and mind overtime, eradicating extreme mental illness.
Svadhisthana Chakra (Sacral & Belly energy center): Forward Folding and Hip Openers: Forward folding brings the belly in so that the energy can flow back and down toning this area. Energy flowing back and down out of the sacrum promotes a feeling of wellbeing, calm, and serenity. A sense of deep sacred connection from that center will help create pleasant relationships. This gently massages the lower belly through forward folding allowing more balance, feel good hormones to the brain as the intestinal area is known as our second feeling brain. When our gut has healthy microbes, we feel happy and more connected. When our gut has more harmful bacteria, we feel frustrated or hankered by emotions. Flooding this area with fresh oxygen from the breath, such as Ujjai breathing, tones the belly, the skin, and fights bad bacteria to produce a healthier gut. Hip openers are for stability, feeling more relaxed allowing a more sensual, sexually in-tune libido.
Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus energy center): Twisting and Detoxing: When we twist from our solar plexus in the right way, it is like wringing out a dirty dish rag. The impurities flow out, polishing this energy center with fresh oxygen. Incorporating more clean energy to penetrate the organs in that specific area. We strengthen the core, ab area by pulling up and in as well as back and down towards the spine. Range of motion is improved in reaching behind you from twisting. In Heart and Soul Method’s dance movement, creative expression allows for a balanced sense of confidence and empowerment, NOT, ego takes all. Very important, to learn to pull up and in in the solar plexus as well as cinching the solar plexus towards center to shine forth, to move the toxic energy OUT, revealing a healthy confidence. Core strength stokes the digestive fire, Agni, regulating our metabolism.
Anahata Chakra (Heart energy center): Heart Openers and Back-bending: Back-bending energizes the spine to release a lot of emotional tension we hold in the shoulder as well as neck area. I have seen countless students who have come in with really tight upper backs with a lot of shoulder tension practice backbends and, within’ a few classes, its as if their hearts begin to melt. The burdens they had been carrying start to fall away, leaving more space between the ears and shoulders. Their shoulder blades drop which reveals a more open heart, Not protruding, but open. the ribs rest in alignment with the neutral pelvis. The heart openers we do in Fitness Fusion Technique, expand the arms from center, moving heart energy through out the whole body.
Upper Chakras: Arm Balances and Inversions: the Vishuddha (throat chakra), the Anja ( 3rd eye chakra), and the Sahasara (crown chakra) could be their own individual classes, which I sometimes do for private clients if they are really needing to open their voice or hone their intuition through visualization. The restorative class I offer is great for the whole body, but mostly for the the crown chakra, Sahasara. This class is about connecting with your intuition by learning your boundaries or edges. Listening to your own deep sacred inner voice. Bringing the 3rd eye to the ground in prostration of childs pose among other postures, will develop humility. Taking the time to place the hands and feet just right, shifting our consciousness in just the right place to balance upside down teaches the body, mind, and spirit how to work together in harmony to achieve a result. It WAKES UP dormant areas of our whole being to be unleashed into freedom. We learn then, to see the world from a different more playful, creative perspective.
Linking Movement with Breath: Most of us do not breath properly. In many gym like workouts, the breath is not regulated, leading to chaotic energy which causes imbalances. Being in synchronicity is not healthy over long periods of time in many aerobic like workouts as it does not develope discernment of listening to our own individual bodies, intuition, or cues. Pushing ourselves for the sake of the leader, which may very well hurt our bodies in the short term or long term, is counter culture to building sustainable health. In yoga, deep belly breathing, as well as breathing techniques, drop the breath down into the lower chakras, so as not to have too much trapped air in the upper chest causing panic attacks. Deep belly breathing flows us into a deeper connection to our heart and soul. A sacred knowing. It also regulates the Amygdala which governs our flight or fight response. Ujjayi breath, deep belly breathing in and out through the nose, four counts in and four counts out with the mouth closed, allows the para sympathetic nervous system to regulate more often. This is our sense of rest and digest, leaving a feeling of active relaxation. A gentle heat warms the body to help flush out toxins through the skin.
After blogs I include a video of a song that is on my playlists. Love this one by Lord Huron called Mine Forever.